The Well-Stocked Kitchen Pantry

http://teriskitchen.com/pantry.html

I remember when I first ventured out on my own. There were so many things to buy, including groceries to stock the pantry. I wanted it all but was, of course, on a very tight budget. I had to get the most basic of items and gradually stock the others. Well, that was a long time ago. My opinion on what is essential has changed and the pantry is a lot bigger than it used to be. It is important to have food items in storage especially for spontaneous, quick, easy, healthy and creative cooking. There are items that are basic to almost any cooking. Other items are dependent on the type of cooking you do most often and the amount of storage space available. The list below is based on my preferences, but I included some items I don't use that others might. You will want to omit some items and add others. On the subject of space, there are ways to expand at no cost. In a previous house, my pantry closet was just too small, so I used a small area of a big walk-in closet in the master bedroom, and a cabinet salvaged from an old kitchen that I placed in the garage. If you have the space, invest in a stand-up freezer. In the long run, you save money on meats and freezable items when they are on sale. If you have a large garden, you know a freezer is essential. Some staples below are listed under more than one category, such as bottled condiments that must be refrigerated after opening. By the way, make certain you are familiar with the recommended shelf life for perishable items. There are several good resources on the Internet that provide that information. The food images on this page are all recipes that I can make any time with items that I keep stocked in my pantry. Just click on the image to view the recipe. To browse all of the recipes at Teri's Kitchen, visit the Recipe Files or use the links on this page.

Note: It is true that dried herbs and spices lose flavor after about six months. However, they do not spoil if kept dry. When they have been in my pantry longer than six months, I still use them, tasting as I cook and adding more if needed.